Crushed - Have to cancel kids first trip

[fan1080]

Thank you all for your support and very wise and creative suggestions. I knew you guys would be a great help.

My dh is an independent consultant. When we booked the trip, his current contract was to expire before our trip. The type of work he does involves designing television stations. So basically, he has to be there until they launch and the launch is now delayed, thus, the requirement for him to extend his contract and stay on. If something technical doesn't work, its not something he can really troubleshoot from a distance. I guess he could theoretically walk away and say sorry, my contract is up, but that's not him and it would jeopardize any further work from this company. It is his primary client so I don't think that is an option.

I've left a message with my travel agent and I am really hoping she can help us reschedule. The kicker is I will lose my vacation time if I don't use it by the end of September.

A number of things seem odd with your situation.

1. Dinsey is typically very good about cancellations, especially if you rebook for another date. I would question your TA about it and see what he/she can do.

2. Contract or not, your husband's client needs to realize that these things happen. Arrangements can be made. I also work in an office environment where we hire many contractors who work on site (design engineers). They take vacation when they want, with advance notice to us.

3. Unless you work under contract or your Province has some really strange labor laws, you can not lose vacation time per se. You may have to use the time before a certain date, but any unused vacation time has to be paid out if not used. Therefore you are not really losing anything, other than paid time off.

Your best bet is to have your TA call Disney and rebook. Our TA has always had good success cancelling Disney vacations. Disney wants you to experience Disney.

 

[SandraC]

Would your dh be open to shortening the trip and take just a few days off? Something like Thrusday to Monday, so you get 5 days in WDW but he only misses three days of work.

My life lesson experience: My dad had open-heart surgery at 57 years old. We was a workaholic [not saying your dh is, I'm saying my dad was]. After the surgery, he completely changed and started to ENJOY life. He was also a consultant and just told his clients, "See ya'! If you need me I'll be in Italy, or Greece or cruising..." Post-surgery, my dad's favourite quote was, "On your death bed you never say, 'I wish I spent more time at the office." He died when he was 61 years old.

Can you tell I'm a ENJOY YOUR LIFE type of gal?

S

 

[c&m]

Would your dh be open to shortening the trip and take just a few days off? Something like Thrusday to Monday, so you get 5 days in WDW but he only misses three days of work.

My life lesson experience: My dad had open-heart surgery at 57 years old. We was a workaholic [not saying your dh is, I'm saying my dad was]. After the surgery, he completely changed and started to ENJOY life. He was also a consultant and just told his clients, "See ya'! If you need me I'll be in Italy, or Greece or cruising..." Post-surgery, my dad's favourite quote was, "On your death bed you never say, 'I wish I spent more time at the office." He died when he was 61 years old.

Can you tell I'm a ENJOY YOUR LIFE type of gal?

S

That is so true. I live by those beliefs too. I run my own business as a consultant in the software industry, and we are really deadline driven. But I stand firm to when my vacation dates are and we all work around them. Difficult sometimes, but things always work out in the end.

I think everyone is so right-on with their advice to the OP. Her DH doesn't need to miss out on everything. He can join her for a weekend and take just one or two days off. They don't need to do everything and all the parks on this trip -- simply upgrade to non-expiry tickets so you can all go again! (Nothing bad about that!) What is so great about WDW is that not going to the parks is OK too, because hanging out at the resorts and playing in the pool are just as much fun.

Hopefully you and your DH can find the happy medium where everyone, including your DH's business client can get what they want.

 

[minnie56]

Very often the same has happened for our trips..sometimes I just go ahead and DH joins us when he can..a few days is better than no days! And the one on one with my daughters (who are now much older than yours) is always very nice too...

 

[laura001]

A number of things seem odd with your situation.

1. Dinsey is typically very good about cancellations, especially if you rebook for another date. I would question your TA about it and see what he/she can do.

.

This is true, but if the TA booked it through a supplier, that is a totally different story. At that point the cancellation/change policy of that particular supplier comes into effect and most of the time is quite different from Disney's.

 

[MSB123]

Gee that sucks. I'm sorry. But if I were you, I wouldn't cancel the trip if you have to pay for it.

Did DH request the days off in advance? If so and they changed plans I'd appeal to the boss... tell them the trip was paid for and you thought it was settled.

If he just asked for them and they said no, there's really nothing you can do, it's harder to appeal that way.



If he can't get off, just go. Take lots of pics. Have the kids call him and send him messages.

If it were me who stuck working, I'd tell my family to go anyway.



Maybe he can take a later flight and catch up with you, squeeze in a day or two at least?

 

[libell25]

Thank you all for your support and very wise and creative suggestions. I knew you guys would be a great help.

My dh is an independent consultant. When we booked the trip, his current contract was to expire before our trip. The type of work he does involves designing television stations. So basically, he has to be there until they launch and the launch is now delayed, thus, the requirement for him to extend his contract and stay on. If something technical doesn't work, its not something he can really troubleshoot from a distance. I guess he could theoretically walk away and say sorry, my contract is up, but that's not him and it would jeopardize any further work from this company. It is his primary client so I don't think that is an option.

I've left a message with my travel agent and I am really hoping she can help us reschedule. The kicker is I will lose my vacation time if I don't use it by the end of September.

That is really crappy.

If you can't get it switch I agree with some of the other posts - Although it would really suck to go without hubbby I think it would suck more to loose all that money.

I have 3 daughters and my older was 3 the first time we went. She obviously loved every minute and if you ask her she says she remembers it but I think she only remembers because of the pictures and video. Buy a video camera and take hours of video so your hubby can experience it when you get home.

Also, save certain special things for another trip. ie. the opening of Magic Kingdom - something you should all see together, certain rides, character meals, etc. Disney is sooooo big you'll never get it all done and every trip you experience different things. We've been 2 times with our girls and every time we find/experience something different.

Try your hardest to change the dates but if you can't go - bring the camera - have the kids call from certain rides so he can experience it - send him postcards from every park from the kids saying what they did that day - e-mail pictures everynight.

Bring a big picture of DH and take pictures of the kids with the picture so they can say daddy went on the ride with me, etc.

There are ways to make it work (although not the same) to avoid loosing the money flat out.

Good Luck

 

[brighteyes]

What happened? Did you make a decision? Did you hear from your TA or did your DH get the time off work???

The anticipation is killing me, I hope you are able to all go together!

 

[Mailloux]

Thanks again for all of your support and suggestions...so here is what happened.

My dh met with his boss who confirmed that they need us to cancel the vacation BUT they will pay whatever needed to be paid for us to go at a later date. So we got the travel agent to look into it and she could get us rebooked for the end of September. We gave his boss the new dates and the change in cost (penalties and fare changes) and they are going to pay it and they confirmed that he will be able to go!!!!! I am so relieved. Now on to the next challenge - trying to book ADRs.

 

[brighteyes]

Thanks again for all of your support and suggestions...so here is what happened.

My dh met with his boss who confirmed that they need us to cancel the vacation BUT they will pay whatever needed to be paid for us to go at a later date. So we got the travel agent to look into it and she could get us rebooked for the end of September. We gave his boss the new dates and the change in cost (penalties and fare changes) and they are going to pay it and they confirmed that he will be able to go!!!!! I am so relieved. Now on to the next challenge - trying to book ADRs.

Whoooohooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That is GREAT!!! I am soo happy for you. Now you have to let us know how it went when you get back. See Disney is magical, it even rubs off on the bosses (sometimes)

 

[candizfan]

That is wonderful that you will still be able to go. It never hurts to ask and it sounds like it will work out fine.

Have a great time and enjoy the trip.